National Centre for Early Music

05/06/2026

On Sunday Contrafactum bring Echoes Across the Ages to the NCEM stage!

Here is a sneak peek into the rehearsal room, a clip from Byrd's O Salutaris hostia.

📅 Sunday 7 June 3pm
🎟️ https://ncem.co.uk/events/echoes-across-the-ages/

04/06/2026

The Minster Minstrels are going on tour!

What better way to spend a Sunday than visiting the iconic Skipton Castle, and listening to these wonderful young musicians? Catch them this Sunday, 11.15 - 11.45 in the chapel - don't miss out! The concert is free, you just need to pay for your entrance to Skipton Castle.

04/06/2026

Join our friends Yorkshire Bach Choir this Saturday at St Lawrence Church, for a captivating programme woven with themes of nature, gardens and transcendent landscapes. At its heart, is a unique arrangement of Vaughan Williams’ soaring, timeless The Lark Ascending, reimagined for choir and solo violin.

📅 Saturday 6 June, 7.30pm
📍 St Lawrence Parish Church
🎟️ https://ncem.co.uk/events/yorkshire-bach-choir-an-english-choral-garland/

03/06/2026

We are delighted to announce the first two ensembles selected for The Gesualdo Six’s Emerging Ensembles programme are:

• The New Eden Consort
• The Hepburn Four

Beginning in September 2026, the programme will support emerging vocal ensembles through mentoring, coaching, artistic development and professional opportunities across a two-year period.

Led artistically by The Gesualdo Six and delivered in partnership with the National Centre for Early Music, the programme aims to nurture outstanding early-career ensembles and support the next stage of their professional development.

03/06/2026

1 Month to go!

The countdown has begun for our 50th birthday party. Featuring world-class artists and next generation talent, performing in historic venues across the city, it's not one to be missed!

Tickets are selling fast, with some concerts already sold out.

Find out more at https://ncem.co.uk/whats-on/yemf/

02/06/2026

02/06/2026

Join us for a celebration of Japanese storytelling through music, narration and media art. Following their performance at Hyper Japan Festival, Den Haag, led by pianist Kae Ogawa, return to the NCEM to present Hokusai, an innovative live performance bringing together leading musicians and artists from Japan and around the world.

Join us before from 3.15pm, during the interval and after the performance for a demonstration of Japanese woodblock printing with Andy Green.

🗓️ Tuesday 28 July, 4pm
🎫https://ncem.co.uk/events/hokusai/

01/06/2026

🌟Young Artist Spotlight🌟

Meet Il Parrasio!

You can catch Il Parrasio at the York International Young Artists Competition performing an informal recital on Thursday 9 July and in the live finals on Saturday 11 July.

Tickets at https://ncem.co.uk/events/york-international-young-artists-competition-informal-recitals/

29/05/2026

Introducing our ensemble in residence for the 50th edition of the York Early Music Festival!

Meet [hanse] Pfeyfferey, a fantastic all female ensemble from Germany and finalist alumni of the York International Young Artist Competition.

Winners of the Cambridge Early Music Prize in 2024, we are delighted to welcome this ensemble back to York for a series of performances, including a specially commissioned fanfare for the 50th anniversary of the festival.

You can catch their performances across York:
Friday 3 July, before the opening concert of the festival
Saturday 4 July, Coffee Concert https://ncem.co.uk/whats-on/yemf/ and outside York Minster ahead of The Sixteen's performance
Sunday 5 July, broadcast live on the Early Music Show from NCEM https://ncem.co.uk/events/the-early-music-show-with-hannah-french/

Find out more about the ensemble at https://hansepfeyfferey.com/

28/05/2026

Great to see Bellot Ensemble recording with our project partners BBC Radio 3 at Maida Vale as part of their New Generation Baroque Ensemble development scheme. What a week for you all!

Really fun recording session at Maida Vale! Looking forward to hearing the results on the airwaves very soon! Thanks to for making this happen, and for the support of the and on our New Generation Baroque Ensemble Journey!





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